Vidal decided to create that man, and creation is the result it may be the most panoramic historical novel ever written. Gore vidal 1st edition books for sale in stock ebay. Unafraid to point fingers and assassinate characters, gore vidal has always been provocative, if not universally liked. A sweeping novel of politics, war, philosophy, and adventurein a restored edition, featuring neverbeforepublished material from gore vidals. Creation by vidal, gore and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. As every schoolboy used to know, the greatest historical period in the world was the fifth century b. Born into a political dynasty, he twice sought elected office. Creation book by gore vidal half price books marketplace. What, if anything, is gore vidal up to in this long, stylish, densely busy but totally.
Gore vidal books, ebooks, audiobooks, biography barnes. Gore vidals creation begins on the evening of what would be, according to modern reckoning, december 20, 445 b. In the case of creation, the point of view is harshly antigreek and propersian. Think of it as a book published in electronic form. Its absence is what makes this weeks unusual publishing eventthe reissuing of gore vidals historical novel creationmore interesting still. The buddha was alive, and so were confucius, herodotus, thucydides, pericles, aeschylus, sophocles. Get cozy and expand your home library with a large online selection of books at. The first edition of the novel was published in 1981, and was written by gore vidal. Creation is a thought provoking book that is just as much an amazing narrative of persian and greek history as it is a look at western civilization today. His first novel, williwaw, written when he was 19 years old and serving in the army, appeared in the spring of 1946. Cyrus spitama, grandson of the prophet zoroaster and lifelong friend of xerxes, spent most of his life as pdf. Vidals historical novel set in the 5th century bc and narrated by cyrus spitama, son of a persian prince and greek sorceress, grandson of the prophet zoroaster, and ambassador to the courts of india, china and greece.
C occasionally he seems to be interested in presenting shrewd alternative versions of textbook history particularly the greekpersian wars, the sort of dustedoff, backroom politics he managed quite well in his american historicals burr, 1876. The first edition of the novel was published in 1976, and was written by gore vidal. The book is a stated first edition with a random house number line that goes to 2, indicating a first printing of the first edition. In the parts of the book that comment on history, vidal makes obvious use of the histories of herodotus. Since then he has written twentythree novels, five plays, many screenplays, short stories, well over two hundred essays, and a memoir. His first novel, williwaw, written when he was nineteen years old and serving in the army, appeared in the spring of 1946. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 574 pages and is available in hardcover format. Gore vidal 19252012 was an american writer and public intellectual. Gore vidals novel is restored, but the grudge continues.
Gore vidal 19252012 was born at the united states military academy at west point. His first novel, williwaw, written when he was nineteen years old and serving. Looking for a book where the storyline is such that heroes turn out to be villains and villains turn out to be heroes. Gore vidal was born in 1925 at the united states military academy at west point. Some years ago, gore vidal hit upon the idea that one man, given a long enough life, opportunity to travel, and a knack for being in the right place at the right time, could have met face to face with zoroaster, socrates, the buddha and confucius. Cyrus spitama, the grandson of the prophet zoroaster, who becomes familiar not only with legendary persians darius, xerxes or greekdemocritus, socrates, herodotus.
The main character forgets his past and he is tricked to believe that he is on the right side. Creation is a thought provoking book that is just as much an amazing narrative of persian and greek history as it. We meet a vast array of historical figures in a stagering novel of love, war, philosophy and adventure. Internet archive contributor internet archive language english. I watched a local language movie around 7 years back and this was its storyline. In the beginning a historical novel by gore vidal, creation is an odysseus styled dialectic on religious dogma. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 272 pages and is available in paperback format. In his sumptuous historical novel creation, gore vidal proposes a character. The gore vidal indexis a site offering information and research on vidal and his work. In 2002 he published a restored version, reinstating four chapters that a previous editor had cut and adding a brief. Once again the incomparable gore vidal interprets and animates history this time in a panoramic tour of the 5th century b. Its a masterful scrutiny of the tenements which make up our ideals of western culture. The main characters of this fiction, science fiction story are kalki, teddy ottinger.
Cyrus is fixated on the question of creation, or the origin of the universe or human existence. Gore vidals julian 1964 and creation 1981 are at the top of my list because they choose unusual points of view and launch massive attacks on established holy cows. Cyrus, a fifth century persian, relates the story of his travels and encounters as an ambassador accessrestricteditem. A sweeping novel of politics, war, philosophy, and adventure in a restored edition, featuring neverbeforepublished material from gore vidals original manuscript creation offers a captivating grand. Hello select your address best sellers todays deals new releases customer service todays deals new releases customer service. Vidals narrator is cyrus spitama, a fictional grandson of zoroaster, who is raised in the court of darius the great of persia and becomes the great kings ambassador to the lands that lie to the east.
Gore vidal was an american author who was best known for his political commentary and television appearances. The main character, cyrus spitama, is the grandson of zarathustra, and his encounters with other 5th century sages are clearly the highlights of the novel. Pdf creation book by gore vidal free download 574 pages. Free download or read online creation pdf epub book. Gore vidal books list of books by author gore vidal. In 2002 he published a restored version, reinstating four chapters that a previous editor had cut and adding a brief foreword explaining what had happened and why he had restored the cut chapters. His most recent book is worlds end, a collection of stories.
Pdf kalki book by gore vidal free download 272 pages. Once again the incomparable gore vidal interprets and animates history. He wrote 23 novels, five plays, many screenplays, short. A prolific essayist and acclaimed author of historical novels such as 1984s lincoln, his talent for positioning history within a modern context is one thing about vidal that remains undisputed. Creation by gore vidal, 9780349104751, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide.
While its probably impossible to avoid shallowness in presenting complex philosophical and religious systems in a novel, vidal does a surprisingly good job of it. A sweeping novel of politics, war, philosophy, and adventurein a restored edition, featuring neverbeforepublished material from gore vidals original manuscriptcreation offers a captivating grand tour of the ancient world. Gore vidal found this notion so thrilling that he wove a book around it, and a fascinating and delightful book it is. If a mans legacy were to be gauged by the immediate response to his death, then gore vidals is very much in danger of being reduced to a succession of pithy and caustic sentences that will. Hired to smuggle an ancient artefact out of egypt, pete wells finds himself the target of killers and femme fatales and just one step away from triggering a revolution that will set ca. Creation signed first edition by gore vidal hardcover 1st. The lost pulp crime novel by great american novelist gore vidal. He began his literary career in 1946 with the publication of his novel williwaw but did not achieve notoriety until he published his third book the city and the pillar which cause a minor scandal for its depiction of homosexuality. A sweeping novel of politics, war, philosophy, and adventure in a restored edition, featuring neverbeforepublished material from gore vidal s original manuscript creation offers a captivating grand tour of the ancient world. Creation by gore vidal penguin random house canada. Finally, let me note that i have no relationship with gore vidal, nor does he have any relationship with this web site.
Hes also careful to avoid any anachronistic traces of. Dive deep into gore vidals creation with extended analysis, commentary, and discussion. Cyrus spitama, grandson of the prophet zoroaster and lifelong friend of xerxes, spent most of his life as. Under the guarantees of the first amendment, a writer neither needs nor traditionally. Creation is an epic historical fiction novel by gore vidal published in 1981. Born in 1925, vidal rarely had any kind words for his nation, often referring to the united states as a decadent empire ruled by a militaristic dictatorship. In 445 bc cyrus spitama, the persian ambassador to athens, hears herodotus reading from his histories and in response recounts to his nephew democritus. A sweeping novel of politics, war, philosophy, and adventurein a restored edition, featuring neverbeforepublished material from gore vidals original. This is a first edition, first printing copy of creation, signed by author gore vidal in black ink on the half title page. Pages can include considerable notesin pen or highlighterbut the notes cannot obscure the text.
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